INDIA'S ELECTION DILEMMA - 2
Chaos Vs Governance
How Debacle In Baltistan came to be written is a mystery for the writer as well. The first problem was the source material. How to lay hands on the top secret files of the Government of India on the Baltistan episode. It was a tricky ground. One could have been arrested for espionage. Although an eye witness to the whole episode of Baltistan , a battle of about six months, I could not remember everything that happened. After all, I was a child, though an observant child.
So the search began by asking one friend, who asked other friend, which chain of friends led to the last friend who referred the author to his friend who, in turn, provided the details, albeit sketchy ones. However, it was something to start work.
My publisher, who was also referred to by a friend, would not publish “military secrets”. “I don't want to go to jail,” was his argument. Same argument was advanced by all the publishers that I met earlier. Mildly I suggested : “Put my name as publisher on the book. I don't mind going to jail. After all I have spent almost three years in Pak detention centres at Skardu, Peshawar, Rawalpindi-Murry Road and finally in Lahore Central Jail as a refugee.” After hawing, he agreed. But he insisted I should get a Foreword written by Mr Kuldip Nayar, the then Resident Editor of The Statesman, New Delhi, and my boss, for my book.. I said, “I will try. But can't guarantee if he will agree.”
Another blunt publisher had said : “Why should I trust your writings ? And who will read you anyway ?”
I kept postponing a meeting with Mr Nayar, as I was reluctant to meet him, being at the lowest rung of the journalistic ladder, a proofreader. Although Mr Nayar was very helpful and kind boss – he had even published newspaper paragraphs written by me in The Statesman, but writing a Foreword for my book, written by a proofreader was a different cup of tea.
But my publisher put his foot down and said, “No Foreword from Mr Nayar; no book.”
While selecting photographs for my book from Government of India's Press Information Bureau's Photo department – it was easy then to walk into the Photo section and make a selection, than today – I was amused to see one of “our man” waving to Indian reconnaissance plane over Pak-occupied Kashmir. The section in charge was flabbergasted how the photograph came for publicity, when I pointed out the fact.
However, one day I took my courage in my hands and approached Mr Nayar. He wanted to see the MSS before committing himself. “Fair enough,” I said and walked out of his room. Mr Nayar was busy writing a book on Emergency (during which he was also arrested) those days and had little time for my book. But my publisher pestered me and I pestered Mr Nayar.
One day he called me to his room and said :”I'll write the Foreword for your book. You can tell the publisher.”
As I left his room, I felt I was flying in the air. So happy I was.
I did not gain any monetary benefits from my book. Not even to buy a cup of tea. But I am told that many hashed versions were sold to the Defence Ministry and my story became common in the ranks. Let me correct myself : I did buy some groceries when I sold it as junk, although the U.S. Library of Congress did buy one copy and one of the the co-publisher (there were two of them) recovered his investment.
I am sure I was to be blamed for it. I had pressured the publisher to publish 1,000 copies, when fifty would have been sufficient.
But there was lots of political advantage. Mr Joshi, former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat University, a nominated Rajya Sabha (Upper House) member and the head of a Government body for bestowing national awards for nationalistic writings, came and asked for some copies of the book, so that it may be included in the list of possible award winners.
But I was not prepared for that honour and did not give him the books. My educational qualifications were inadequate at that time for the political rough and tumble that follows these awards.
Mr A.B. Vajpayee, before he became the Bhartya Janata Party 's (BJP) first Prime Minister of India, in a private audience suggested in his usual indirect manner that I should join public life. I told him I was not ready yet
After the Emergency, Mr Vasant Sathe, the then Information and Broadcasting Minister, wanted me to meet Mrs Indira Gandhi, but I declined politely for the same reason of inadequacy.
Mr B.C. Barman, CPI's Rajya Sabha MP from Tripura raised some questions about the book in the House. The Government reply, as usual in this sort of case, was evasive.
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